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Biography

Born to a Malaysian father and Singaporean mother, Ben Yeoh has worked as a headhunter, pharmaceutical company analyst and stockbroker. He studied natural sciences at Cambridge before dramaturgy and play writing at Harvard. He has written several plays including: NAKAMITSU (Gate theatre, translation award winner), YELLOW GENTLEMEN (Oval House), LEMON LOVE (Finborough Theatre) and Lost In Peru (Camden People’s Theatre). Radio work: PLACES IN BETWEEN (R4, Times, Guardian, Pick of the Day), PATENT BREAKING LIFE SAVING (World Service), INVENTOR OF FIREWORKS (R3). He was a member of the BBC Radio Drama Diversity Group. He is vice chair on the board of Talawa Theatre Company, a leading black British theatre company, and on the advisory committee for a Co-operative Investment Society (CIS) investment trust.

“vertiginous sense of possibility and regret in Yeoh’s intelligent script”, Time Out, Yellow Gentlemen
“rare and riveting” Times, Nakamitsu
“superb dramatisation… entertaining and informative” Guardian, pick of the day, Places in Between

2007
Nakamitsu, Gate Theatre, dir Jonathan Munby
The Broken Necklace, Arcola Theatre, miniaturists, dir Hannah Eidinow
BBC Radio 4, Places In Between, dir Steve Canny
Greed, Seven Sins, Soho theatre, reading, dir Annette Mees

2006
Winner of the Gate Translation Award for Nakamitsu
BBC World service, Patent Breaking Life Saving, dir Jessica Dromgoole
Yellow Gentlemen, Oval House Theatre, dir Bronwyn Lim
Appointed to the Board of Talawa Theatre

2005
On the Eve of the Collapse, Soho Theatre, reading, dir Ben Thomas
Confessions in ROAR festival, Chelsea Theatre
Royal Court writers programme led by Jane Bodie

2004
Staged Reading of Yellow Gentlemen, Soho Theatre, dir Ben Payne
Inventor of Fireworks, BBC Radio 3, dir Jonathan Man
BBC radio writers programme led by Nandita Ghose

2003
Lost in Peru, Camden People’s Theatre, dir Sarah Levinsky, Mapping4D
Letters & Nights of Love & War, Theatre & Beyond, reading, dir Maria Pattinson
Asst. Director to John Tiffany on Mark Ravenhill’s The Cut

2002
Statements, Pleasance, reading, dir Amanda Hill
Day in Life, Gate Theatre, reading, dir Tassos Stevens
Suburbia, Soho Theatre, reading, dir Yael Shavit

2001
Lemon Love, Finborough Theatre, dir Elizabeth Freestone
Soho Young Writers programme led by Lisa Goldman
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Soho Young Writers programme led by Lisa Goldman

Wikipedia entry

A short interview about being British born Chinese and a creative artist. Broadcast on Radio 4.

  • About me

    I'm a playwright and investment analyst. I have a broad range of interests: food, gardening, innovation & intellectual property, sustainability, architecture & design, writing and the arts. I sit on the board of Talawa Theatre Company and advise a CIS investment trust on socially responsible investments.

  • Recent Work

    Recent plays include, for theatre: Nakamitsu, Yellow Gentlemen, Lost in Peru, Lemon Love. For radio: Places in Between (R4), Patent Breaking Life Saving (WS).

  • Nakamitsu

  • Yellow Gentlemen